The Year is Over, Long Live The Year!

The Year That Was:

Personally, after last 2 years, 2008 was not a bad year for me. But then, I can imagine why some people felt like doing this:

 

On the positive side (just as a sample), India had the biggest medal haul in Olympics in its history of participation, (which included a gold medal after 28 years, and first personal gold). Viswanathan Anand successfully defended his World Chess title, and continues his third year at the top of ratings. And there is a piece of Indian technology in the form of Chandrayaan I, which is orbiting around the moon right now, and will continue for next 2 years.

On the negative side were (at the very least) last 40 days of the year, when India faced a horrific terrorist attack, and Pakistan government continues to change its stance with about the same frequency as the dress changes of actors in a typical Bollywood masala movie song, most of the times coming out as equally ridiculous (sorry, this is not a political blog). And then again, there is the looming (or rather, continuing) shadow of economic disaster (to say the least).

And then there was this:

The Year That Will Be:

So, here’s hoping all of you Have a Very Happy New Year!

May all

- feel safe in their homes and outside it

- prosper, keep your jobs and find new ones you like

- (and last but not the least) get what you wish for this year. And that means keeping your resolutions too.

- in short, be happy.

As for me, I think I will follow Chintoo’s aai’s advice and will “take the year as it comes”.

 

- The Great Eagle Has Spoken

 

* Translation for Chintoo comic:

1. Chintoo: In this year I will…

     Mother: Don’t decide anything.

2. Mother: You don’t follow your resolutions.

     Chintoo: All right.

3. Chintoo: I had decided to eat all vegetables in this coming year. :(

Filling the Blank Spaces

Update: For all my friends, read this excellent essay, and don't get angry next time I don't come with you to your parties. (I have added essay link to my recommended links too)


Since I am suffering from Writer's cramp, err... block, I thought I should continue my drive to educate the people about the great comics available online. Since I last told you about the great options to procrastinate, there have been some additions in my comical (I knew this was the wrong word) knowledge about comics.

So, here we go

• Ctrl-Alt-Del:
  
  
  
  By the name, I guess you must have thought that this is MS-bashers' very own drawing board. This is not about Vulcan nerve pinch, but about something very much different, something very close to my heart. Computer Games!!!
  
  Features:
  
  a)Ethan: An eccentric game fanatic, self-proclaimed (and now public-proclaimed) “King of Winter-een-mas”. Crazy about games, needs psychological treatment when new games come out.
  Update: I just remembered that some of the gaming companies have restraining orders against him. Just goes to show the guy's dedication to gaming community.
  
  b)Lucas: Ethan's original room-mate, a very practical person. Has extremely poor love life. (his girlfriend tried to kill him, to get his non-existent fortune) Works in a Customer service center for computers, and is very lucky to get a boss who understands how stupid retarder the customers can be. Kicks Ethan's a#$ in almost all games.
  
  c)Lilah: Ethan's girlfriend fiance. Despite her species, an avid gamer, sometimes which turns into a problem for her.
  
  d)Scott: Ethan and Lucas' third roomie. Linux user, for crying out loud. Lives with Ted, the penguin. Works behind special fortified, fireproof and electrified door, but it's a normal precaution when you live with Ethan.
  
  e)Zeke: A sentient X-Box, created (and recreated, repaired etc etc) by Ethan. Played a vital role in saving Lucas and Ethan, but then he also tried to kill them when he turned maniacal for a while. Desperately in love with the large screen TV screen.
  
  The other characters come and go in the strip, but then, it is about Ethan and Lucas, and of course now Lilah.
  
  So enjoy the strip, and remember to celebrate Winter-een-mas.
  



• Least I could do:
  
  Children below 18 and conservative people will do better to skip to the next point. This is not for you.
  
  Children, I mean it, else I am going to tell your mom. I know who is reading what on my page.
  
  Ok, all the people who have come so far (you there, I know you are not supposed to be here, get out now), I guess you must have known about the topic of this strip (pun intended) by now. It is about the exploits of a stud in this bad, bad world.
  
  Features:
  
  a) Ryen Summers: The stud in question. The strip is about his s#$ploits. His current score is somewhere around 500 (as of 2005). He is the person who just drops in a company when he hears that the CEO of the company is hot, and gets hired as a consultant, earning in 5-6 figures.
  
  b)John Gold: Ryen's roomie, and a school teacher. Talks with Darth Vader, who tempts him about all the girls he can see. He gets to score a girl sometimes, but then, as Ryen says the strip is “Least I Could Do” and so, John's storyline does not continue.
  
  c)Alie: Ryen's friend, and the only girl he hasn't got yet.
  
  d)Mick Alfa: This is no alpha male in the club, he is awkward and geeky friend of Ryen. Even without trying, can make anybody feel better in comparison.
  
  Once you get past the s#$al themes in the comic (I know it is hard when you have the word staring at you once in at least alternate strips), it is a great read. Ryen, even after being completely narcissistic, is a very good person underneath it all (OK you dirty thinkers, I am talking about souls).
  
  Geeks of the world (who like LoTR and Star Wars), we have a new idol (or ideal, whatever).
  



• Chintoo:
  
  
  
  (Translation: 1. "Goaaallll!!!
  2. Hurrayyy!!! Congrats!!!!
  3. If you keep congratulating me like this, I won't score a goal next time.)
  
  An extremely good Marathi comic, something on the level of Calvin. Though he does not have tiger, he gets beaten by a bully and his friends alike. But of course, it is not a straight copy, and the only reason I mentioned Calvin was, because the similarities in theme.
  
  Features:
  
  a) Chintoo: The hero of the strip. A school-going boy (he is going to school since I was in school, yet he is passing all his exams). Lives with his mother (aai, named Deepa) and father (baba, who is sometimes Chintoo's victim and sometimes... ) He also lives with his Grandfather and grandmother sometimes (to and is amply awarded with toys for this).
  
  b) Pappu: Chintoo's best friend. The boy who helps Chintoo when he is in danger (but then, Raju is more danger than anybody can handle) Does not fight with Mini.
  
  c) Mini: The girl in the gang, a poet whose poems are hated by all but Raju. Can beat Chintoo to pulp easily.
  
  d)Bagalya: The geek in the gang. His name derives from his long frame, much like a giraffe (Bagala in marathi is crane, you get the picture)
  
  e)Raju: The bodily strong, mentally slow person in the gang. Likes Mini's poems, but then that is not a praise. Does not understand jokes quickly, even if you make fun of him. So, if you are fast, you can crack jokes about him and get away, because if he catches you,...
  
  f)Joshikaku: Chintoo's neighbor, who has a large garden full of fruit trees (no self-respecting boy can stay away from कैरी, पेरु etc). Gets the brunt of the gang's play, with their cricket resulting mostly in ball going through Joshikaku's glass windows, with predictable results.
  
  This gang is the one with which most of the boys' of my age have grown up. Chintoo is as famous in marathi children (and grown-ups too) as maybe Faster Fene (more about this character later). Worth a read if you know marathi (but then if you know marathi and haven't read Chintoo, you have wasted your childhood), if you don't know marathi, it is very similar to Hindi, so go and read it.
  

Oh, and before I forget, all the fans of Mr. Walker, visit the Skull Cave here.

Quote of the Day:

Inspiration is wonderful when it happens, but the writer must develop an approach for the rest of the time... The wait is simply too long.
- Leonard Bernstein (1918 - 1990)

Back after a long time...

My first fortune cookie told me: “Nature, time and patience are the three great physicians”. This came at a time when nature is turning cold, time is flying, and patience… err, what is this thingy?

Well, I have been thinking of updating this page for quite a while now. But then, a lot many factors conspired together to keep me away from putting my thoughts on paper (paper, notepad, word… same difference). So much was going on, and I had so less time to think of anything else. The college was going on in full swing. I had to write a lot of tests. Overall, last 3-4 weeks were one of the most physically and mentally draining weeks in my life.

But now, I am back… “Restored” in the words of one of my friends! And, I present to you, some strips which kept me sane for last some weeks,


1. PhD Comics: "Piled Higher and Deeper", the ongoing chronicle of life (or the lack thereof) in grad school.
I came across this site by chance when searching for a friend’s blog. And believe me, grad students were never depicted better. For all current grad students, read and procrastinate… for all future grads, read on to see what you are getting into!



2. Sinfest: (Wikipedia says,) often makes fun of popular culture, society, religion or human nature. Though sometimes uses “profanity and broaches controversial topics such as religion and sexuality frequently and with few restrictions”. But believe me, the God vs. Devil word-fights are beyond cool.
Contains my latest crush, Monique...

And last but not the least,


3. Garfield: Everyone loves this “fat, lazy, cynical but endearing” cat (claims of Nermal notwithstanding). I don’t think I need to add anything more, except “Big, fat, hairy deal”.

So read on and enjoy…

On more personal front, this also seems a time when I am getting raw deal from quite a few of my acquaintances. Yesterday was another day when I got shot online. Can you believe somebody actually accused me of saying that she is the last girl boys will go out with? No time to go in details, but this was the worst blow to my gentleman’s spirit after this little girl standing below. As Slick would say, the cheek of the chick...